On Saturday the 20th, Jerry joined the CASK group for a paddle to Lake Drummond, in the middle of the Great Dismal Swamp. Put in was at the Ballahack Road boat ramp on the Dismal Swamp canal, the same place the Paddle for the Border went from.
Monday, May 22, 2006
A "Take-Out Trolley!"
To get into Lake Drummond, you have to portage around the dam at the end of the feeder ditch. Jerry was naturally attracted to this contraption, a trolley to help pull your boat up the bank!
Another Overnight Trip Location?
Flush toilets, some electric... What else do we need? Jerry thinks this would make a great overnight trip location. Keep your eyes open- it could happen!
END JERRY'S DISMAL SWAMP
Monday, May 08, 2006
Ready to Paddle for the Border!
On May 6th, four Mice made the early morning trip to Chesapeake and the Dismal Swamp canal for the "Paddle for the Border", an event put on by the City of Chesapeake. Jan, John, Jim and Jeff met over 200 other paddlers at the put in for the trip to the North Carolina Welcome Center, 2 miles south of the state line.
The weather was iffy right up until the start. It was still raining during the drive to the put-in, but once our boats were on the water, we didn't feel a single drop of rain! By the end of the paddle, the sun was out, and a beautiful Saturday was opening up.
A Crowded Put-In
We put in at the Dismal Swamp Canal boat ramp at the end of Ballahack Road. It sits on what is now old route 17- the Dismal Swamp Canal Trail. US 17 is now a beautiful and fast four lane highway that parallels the canal to the east. The old road is a multi-use trail- perfect for a bicycle ride!
Perhaps a pedal/paddle day is in our future?
Check out the variety of boats, and the nice carpet laid out for us!
Armada on the Canal
This was probably the STRAIGHTEST paddle the Mice have ever done. Take a look at a map. There is a grand total of ONE small turn on the canal between Chesapeake and North Carolina. Just a little jog to the left. Otherwise, just keep the rudder straight, and paddle for 7-1/2 miles!
This event was full- two hundred boats and 238 people on the water. It was great to see the huge variety of boats on the water, from Jazz sit-on-tops to a very nice looking rowboat.
A Great Morning's Paddle
The City of Chesapeake and the North carolina State parks Division put together a great event. John and Jan are smiling over the swag they picked up. John is modeling the t-shirt and cap that all participants received. They also got a hot dog lunch at the take-out, and "valet" service for their boats. Volunteers from the local judicial system carried boats to staging areas, and delivered them to their car afterwards. A great paddle!
END PADDLE FOR BORDER
Sunday, April 30, 2006
MERCHANTS MILLPOND, April 8-9, 2006
The first River Mice paddle of 2006 was a big one, and a good one. Six mice saw the weather forecast (rain!) and decided to go down to North Carolina for an overnight paddle anyway. Jerry led the group, and was joined by Jeff, Chris, Jim, Jeanine, and George.
The rain wound up dominating events, but didn't keep the group from enjoying what paddling they could, and the rest of the experience. Mice have done rain before! (See the West Neck Creek paddle last August.)
The Secret to Paddle Camping
Thank you George, for coming along, and for bringing your canoe! Camping with kayaks means you are very limited in what you can bring along. A canoe means hauling capacity, and being able to bring a few things you otherwise couldn't.
The scenery at Merchant's Millpond was amazing, with cypress trees everywhere! It felt more like the bayou, or the Okeefenokee Swamp, than North Carolina! The trees were so thick in most places that colored floats marked the trail between the ramp and the campsites.
Waiting for the Rain to End
We got back from our exploration paddle just before it started pouring. Thanks to George's forethought, we had a small canopy to gather under. We were hoping the rain would stop and we could have a fire, but the rain never really stopped.
It poured for 11-1/2 hours overnight, from 5:30pm to 5am, confining everyone to their tents for the duration. With all the rain, there was surprisingly little mud the next day, and very little leakage into our tents.
Breaking Down Camp
Even when you are limited in space, you can bring along a few comforts, like a stove to cook breakfast, a table to eat it off, and a tent with a little elbow room.
Sunday morning was sunny, but cold, as the same front that brought us all the rain also dropped the temperatures by at least twenty degrees.
No Way it All Fits On One Boat!
After camp is broken down, everything is hauled back down to the boats for packing. It may seem like putting the toothpaste back in the tube, but if you have a system like Jerry does, it should all fit back inside the front and rear hatches.
Note the luggage trolley that makes gear hauling much easier.
Oh Yes it Does!
Here is Jerry's fully loaded boat, ready for put in. Jeanine is verification that yes, everything fit!
The Merchants Millpond overnight was quite an experience. Most of the paddlers want to try it again, to apply some lessons learned, and hopefully get some more paddling on this most interesting and different lake.
Keep your eyes open for a DAY PADDLE here in June. We will only pack lunches and cameras.
END MILLPOND
Sunday, March 12, 2006
It's almost time to Paddle!
The weather is getting warmer, and it is time to think about loading those boats up and getting on the water. Time to think about where you want to paddle- an old favorite, or a new put in?
Our first paddle is coming up in a month. It is the re-scheduled Merchant's Millpond Overnighter. Save April 8-9, 2006 on your calendar, and hope the weather is better than the last time we tried this. We will paddle to a primitive campsite in the middle of the park, carrying everything with us.
Don't be afraid if you are new to this, we will have some experienced people along on the trip to help you load up and go! If you are interested, contact Jerry, or leave a comment on this blog. And...
See you on the water!
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Giveback Weekend- Our First Project
Over the last weekend in February, sixteen Moguls, many of them River Mice, volunteered their labor to help First Landing State Park clean up and get ready to open.
Our first project was to clean up an indian gravesite, located near the trailheads and visitor center. In 1997, remains of 64 Chesapeake indians, disturbed by nearby development, were re-interred inside the park.
Indian Gravesite
This was our first project, completed. Weeds were pulled, bushes trimmed, and mulch spread. The site is ringed by dogwood trees, and the only plant allowed inside these trees was a reddish vine with small leaves. It was a challenge leaving it in place while pulling everything else out!
There was talk of the club adopting this site- keep your eyes and ears open.
Relaxing after a day of Work
One of the "perks" of volunteering at the park was two nights in cabins at the park. Like many Mogul events, meals were shared, and great company was enjoyed.
Jocularity was the word one evening. Here, Debbie was debating the merits of broadband internet access with Chris (not pictured). They stumbled over the definition of "wireless".
Rake that Straw!
How does pine straw get off the road? With a bunch of hard work, or in Bobbie's case, a lot of blowing. She operated the park's only leaf blower, and "cleaned up" after the raking crews. Raking was good in the sense that we could easily see what we had accomplished!
The Road Crew
A bunch of tired Moguls survey their handiwork. over parts of two days, we raked pine straw off of most of the roads in the campground area. In some places, the road was completely covered with a couple of inches of the stuff!
How many Mice can you find in this picture?
One Last Task!
The combined crew ended the weekend by folding a couple hundred brochures. This picture brings back memories of old newsletter folding parties.
Aside from the tasks mentioned, the group also assembled and stained two wooden benches, and cut up a truckload of scrap lumber for disposal. All in all, it was a fun and fulfilling weekend in the park. Thanks to Jeanine for setting it up!
END Giveback Weekend
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